"For dust you are and to dust you will return"

Today was our cadaver memorial service. It was a nice hour spent in memory of our anatomy experience. Songs were sung, dances were danced and readings and poems were read. 

One of my favorite parts was Paul sharing his experience of beginning lab. A couple weeks before school began, his grandfather died and donated his body. Paul had this fresh memory with him while he worked on and studied his own cadaver. I couldn't imagine what that was like. That was also the only part of the service I got teary-eyed. 

Another favorite part: Samuel reminding us that Death is sacred and that as physicians we will be involved in sacred situations, that our patients are sacred and that we must practice medicine knowing that...daily.

After reading the book Stiff and experiencing today's service, I am getting persuaded to also donate my body when I die. I think its an awe-some and amazing thing to do with one's worthless body after our souls depart. 

I grew attached to Pierre, my cadaver. I will never forget him. I don't know anything about him besides the fact he got a vasectomy, probably died of pneumonia by his left lung, probably suffered from emphysema from his right lung and must've gotten many compliments about his bright blue eyes. I do know that he was a man with a big heart--to allow me to learn the sacredness of the human body from him. Thank you, Pierre.